It was the end of an era at the French Open on Monday.
Former champion Stan Wawrinka and perennial crowd favorite Gael Monfils played their final matches at Roland Garros. Both lost in the first round, but there was no sense of defeatism around either result. Celebratory scenes ruled the day in Paris.
Wawrinka, who fell to Jesper de Jong 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, won the French Open in 2015 — upsetting Novak Djokovic in the final. The 41-year-old Swiss also finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal in 2017. Djokovic, Nadal, and countryman Roger Federer were among those involved in the post-match video tribute to Wawrinka.
“It was amazing,” the three-time Grand Slam champion assured. “More than what I could expect and what I could do enough, finishing with so much support, so much love from the people. It was exactly the reason why I kept playing for so long.
“I have been on tour for more than 20 years. For me, when I was young, my dream was to be (a) tennis player — professional tennis player — (and) to be in the top 100, to have the opportunity to play those tournaments. I never expected to achieve so [much] in tennis, but I never put any limit in my career. I always wanted more. I always walk out to get more, push myself, push my own limits, and try to find my own way to get there. So I’m happy and proud of what I achieved all those years, of course.
“Today it was really tough. It’s never easy to say goodbye to something you love so much and you dedicate all your life for it, so of course it was and it will be difficult to leave Roland Garros.”
It was even more difficult for the fans to say goodbye to one of their own. Monfils may never have reached Wawrinka’s on-court heights, but the way in which he consistently entertained the crowd will not soon be forgotten — not at Roland Garros and not at any tournament to which he took his one-of-a-kind talents.
The 39-year-old Frenchman gave the Court Philippe Chatrier faithful a couple more reasons to cheer on Monday night, as he forced a fifth set against compatriot Hugo Gaston after trailing two sets to love. In the end, however, Monfils ran out of gas and Gaston prevailed 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0.
“Even in my craziest dreams, I could never have imagined that it would be like this,” Monfils said of his farewell tour in Paris, which also included a “Gael and Friends” exhibition event during qualifying week. “It was really exceptional. It was a crazy opportunity.
“We imagine it without really imagining it, but, you know, between Thursday and this evening, what’s been going on is really engraved in my memory. It’s a tremendous opportunity. I was very lucky. It’s something that will forever be engraved in my heart.”
au revoir
Sad